The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Last 5 news

Thursday, July 18, 2013

ACCIDENT
ON A WYD BUS NEAR KOUROU, FRENCH GUIANA: TELEGRAM FROM THE POPE

Vatican
City, 18 July 2013 (VIS) – Given below is the text of a telegram of
condolences sent in the Holy Father's name by Cardinal Secretary of
State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. to the bishop of Cayenne, in response
to news of a serious road accident yesterday near Kourou, French
Guiana, involving a bus carrying pilgrims to next week's World Youth
Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The accident caused one death, and
left five other victims seriously injured.

“Pope
Francis, informed of the tragic road accident on the road to Saint
Laurent du Maroni involving a bus carrying young people participating
in World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, wishes to express his heartfelt
participation in the mourning of the families of the deceased, and of
the group leaders and organisers. The Pope assures them of his
prayers and expresses his deepest sympathy with those injured, the
rescue workers and all those around them. The Holy Father wishes to
impart the comfort of an apostolic blessing on all those touched by
this tragedy”.

Vatican
City, 18 July 2013 (VIS) – Tonight the Italian city of Modena will
hold a prayer vigil in the Church of Pomposa for the victims of
migration. The vigil has been organised by the diocese of
Modena-Nonantola, “in communion with Pope Francis' visit to
Lampedusa”.

During
his visit to the island on 8 July, the Holy Father said “we beg
forgiveness for our indifference to so many of our brothers and
sisters. Father, we ask your pardon for those who are complacent and
closed amid comforts which have deadened their hearts; we beg your
forgiveness for those who by their decisions on the global level have
created situations that lead to these tragedies”.

A
communique issued by the archdiocese states: “Welcoming Pope
Francis' spirit of forgiveness and compassion, we invite all citizens
of Modena, both natives to the city and immigrants, to a moment of
prayer for the victims of the crossings of hope in the Mediterranean
Sea, and the other routes that are taken by many people seeking
refuge from war, persecution, discrimination and environmental
disasters”.

Vatican
City, 18 July 2013 (VIS) – The Fourth American Missionary Congress
(Ninth Missionary Congress of Latin America) has been convened for
this autumn (26 November – 1 December) by the Venezuelan Episcopal
Conference and the Pontifical Mission for the archdiocese of
Maracaibo, where the meeting will be held. The theme will be
"Missionary disciples of Jesus Christ in a secular and
multicultural world" and four thousand missionaries from all
over the continent are expected to attend.

The
American Missionary Congresses, explains the site dedicated to the
event, “are marked by the need to provide missionary forces of the
continent a favourable space to share and promote reflection,
spirituality and missionary experiences. Their purpose is to renew
the necessary and permanent commitment of the Church in Latin
America, called to fulfil the mission of the Lord beyond
geographical, cultural and religious differences”.

With
the slogan “Missionary America, share your faith”, twenty-two
forums have also been organised, led by experts who will discuss,
among other issues: missionary childhood and adolescence, subject and
future of the mission; the challenge of youth cultures to the mission
of the Church; the inculturation of the liturgy; evangelisation and
political ideas; the protection of creation; the missionary challenge
of human mobility; the centrality of the Word of God to the mission
of the Church; dialogue and proclamation to non-believers; the
proclamation of Jesus Christ in Afro-American and indigenous
cultures; popular religiosity, a way to evangelisation; evangelising
urban cultures: from the temple to the house; and mission and
ecumenism.